Grandmaster David Smerdon plays the Scandinavian, but not in the typically solid style of this popular opening. He gives the Scandinavian a welcome twist by using it as an all-out attacking weapon! The repertoire he presents in this book is an enhanced version of the one he has successfully employed at grandmaster level over many years.

Just like his previous book, Mastering Opening Strategy is a product of Hellsten's many years' work as a full-time chess teacher and is specifically designed as part of a structured training programme to improve strategic thinking.

In this book, International Master Cyrus Lakdawala examines the Trompowsky Attack. Originally a favourite among club players, in recent years the Trompowsky has been transformed into a powerful weapon even at grandmaster level. It particularly appeals to bold, ambitious players and leads to positions which are rich in possibilities for both sides. Using illustrative games and drawing on his own experience with the opening, Lakdawala provides a repertoire for White, covers the main positional and tactical ideas for both sides, provides answers to all the key questions and tells you everything you need to know about successfully playing the Trompowsky Attack.

1...b6 is a dynamic defense which allows Black to steer the game into relatively unchartered territory, where White players are unable to relax and rely on their ‘opening book’ knowledge. A major attraction of 1...b6 is that it can be employed against all of White’s mainline openings, including 1 e4, 1 d4, 1 Nf3 and 1 c4. In this book, International Master Cyrus Lakdawala examines all the important variations after 1...b6. Using illustrative games, he explains the main positional and tactical ideas for both sides, provides answers to all the key questions and tells you everything you need to know about successfully playing 1...b6.

Bird's Opening, 1 f4, is an ideal choice for freethinking chess players who prefer to rely on their general chess knowledge and intuition rather than having to memorize and keep up to date with mainline opening theory. Bird's Opening is essentially the Dutch Defence with an extra move. In this book, the author examines all the important variations of Bird's Opening, including the sharp From's Gambit. Using illustrative games, he explains the main positional and tactical ideas for both sides, provides answers to all the key questions and tells you everything you need to know about successfully playing 1 f4.

In this book, Cyrus Lakdawala examines the Caro-Kann, which enjoys a richly deserved reputation as one of Black's most reliable defences. It provides an ideal blend of soundness and dynamism, which allows Black to create counterplay from a solid platform.

The Caro-Kann Defence remains a very popular option for Black at all levels of chess. It has always enjoyed a solid reputation, but if anything its popularity has increased in recent years with the realization that the Caro-Kann can also be employed with the intention of reaching sharp dynamic positions, rich in possibilities for both sides and with a guarantee of genuine counterplay for Black. In this book, the author presents the reader with a complete Caro-Kann repertoire, which is based primarily on her own repertoire she has used with success over many years at international level.

In this book, International Master Cyrus Lakdawala invites you to join him in studying the French Defence, Classical Variation, which is a popular choice among chess players of all levels. Lakdawala examines in detail the important and commonly played lines, including the Steinitz, McCutcheon and Burn Variations. Using illustrative games and drawing on his own experience with the opening, he explains the main positional and tactical ideas for both sides, provides answers to all the key questions and tells you everything you need to know about successfully playing the Classical French.

In this book, David Vigorito examines the most theoretically important and instructive Grunfeld games, highlighting the main developments and novelties for both sides. Studying this book will provide you with vital information on a popular opening.

In this book, Grandmaster Neil McDonald examines in depth the many variations of the King's Indian Attack. He outlines White's most promising options and Black's best defences, and provides answers to all the key questions. *Essential guidance and training in the King's Indian Attack *Provides repertoire options for White *Utilizes an ideal approach to chess study.

Chess players are offered an ambitious repertoire for White with 1.d4 in two volumes, with this book covering all lines except 1...d5. The repertoire is based on classical lines and inspired by Botvinnik’s approach.

International Master Christof Sielecki presents a repertoire for Black based on the Nimzo-Indian and Bogo-Indian defenses. The Nimzo-Indian has always enjoyed a reputation as a dynamic, reliable defense against 1 d4 and continues to be as popular as ever at all levels. When White avoids the Nimzo-Indian with 3 Nf3 or 3 g3, however, Black needs to find another solution. Sielecki solves this perennial problem by also offering a repertoire with the Bogo-Indian Defense.

The Petroff Defense is a solid and reliable way to meet 1 e4. It has a strong reputation and has been employed regularly by many grandmasters, most notably former world champions Anatoly Karpov and Vladimir Kramnik. By choosing counterattack instead of defense as early as the second move, Black immediately avoids many favorite weapons for White, including the Ruy Lopez, Italian Game, Scotch Game and a number of daunting gambits.

This is a new series which provides an ideal platform to study chess openings. By continually challenging the reader to answer probing questions throughout the book, the Move by Move format greatly encourages the learning and practicing of vital skills just as much as the traditional assimilation of opening knowledge.

This series provides an ideal platform to study chess openings. By continually challenging the reader to answer probing questions throughout the book, the Move by Move format greatly encourages the learning and practising of vital skills just as much as the traditional assimilation of opening knowledge.

In this book, Old Indian expert Junior Tay invites you to join him in studying the opening and its many variations. Using illustrative games, Tay highlights the tactical and positional ideas for both sides, provides repertoire options for Black and offers answers all the key questions. This book will tell you everything you need to know about playing the Old Indian Defense.

The Ruy Lopez is an incredibly popular opening at all levels of chess; this is perhaps unsurprising given that it's recognized by most experts as White's greatest chance of obtaining a lasting advantage after the moves 1. e4 e5. Also known as the Spanish Opening, the Lopez is steeped in rich tradition, having provided the battleground for countless clashes between World Champions of past and present: Kasparov, Fischer, Karpov, Topalov, Kramnik, Anand - the list is endless!

This series provides an ideal platform to study chess openings. By continually challenging the reader to answer probing questions throughout the book, the Move by Move format greatly encourages the learning and practising of vital skills just as much as the traditional assimilation of opening knowledge. Carefully selected questions and answers are designed to keep you actively involved and allow you to monitor your progress as you learn. This is an excellent way to study any chess opening and at the same time improve your general chess skills and knowledge.

Anyone who plays the Sicilian Defence as Black must be prepared to meet a whole host of options for White known as the Anti-Sicilians. These includes popular choices such as the c3-Sicilian, the Grand Prix Attack, the Closed Sicilian, the King’s Indian Attack and all Bb5 lines, as well as numerous gambits and tricky sidelines which can be very difficult to meet for the unwary player. In this book, International Master Cyrus Lakdawala examines the Anti-Sicilian lines and provides repertoire options for Black against all of them.

In this book, FIDE Master Carsten Hansen invites you to join him in studying the Sicilian Dragon and its many variations. Using illustrative games, he explains the main positional and tactical ideas for both sides, provides answers to all the key questions and tells you everything you need to know about successfully playing the Sicilian Dragon.

This series provides an ideal platform to study chess openings. By continually challenging the reader to answer probing questions throughout the book, the Move by Move format greatly encourages the learning and practising of vital skills just as much as the traditional assimilation of opening knowledge. Carefully selected questions and answers are designed to keep you actively involved and allow you to monitor your progress as you learn. This is an excellent way to study any chess opening and at the same time improve your general chess skills and knowledge.

The Blackmar Diemer Gambit A Modern Guide to a Fascinating Chess Opening

Catalog Code: B0321EM

The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit is a dangerous attacking opening which has amassed a cult following amongst club players, a loyal band of supporters like no other in chess. White sacrifices a pawn in return for a strong initiative which tests Black's defensive capabilities to the limit. Some experts have questioned its objective soundness, but there's no doubting its success and popularity over the board, where pressure and a ticking clock often means it's impossible to find the right defence.

The Veresov Opening is characterized by the moves 1 d4, 2 Nc3 and 3 Bg5. It’s a perfect weapon for those who wish to steer the game into relatively unchartered territory and to set their opponents problems from the outset. The Veresov is a flexible opening and White may choose lines that are either positional or tactical in nature. International Master Jimmy Liew has played the Veresov successfully for many years, and in this book he invites you to join him in a study of his favourite opening.

Former US Open Champion Timothy Taylor takes a contemporary look at one of Black's most ambitious counters to 1 e4, the Alekhine Defence. This is a sharp opening in which Black attacks from the very beginning, luring White's central pawns forward in the expectation of destroying them later on.

This series provides an ideal platform to study chess openings. By continually challenging the reader to answer probing questions throughout the book, the Move by Move format greatly encourages the learning and practising of vital skills just as much as the traditional assimilation of opening knowledge. Carefully selected questions and answers are designed to keep you actively involved and allow you to monitor your progress as you learn. This is an excellent way to study any chess opening and at the same time improve your general chess skills and knowledge.

This series provides an ideal platform to study chess openings. By continually challenging the reader to answer probing questions throughout the book, the Move by Move format greatly encourages the learning and practising of vital skills just as much as the traditional assimilation of opening knowledge. Carefully selected questions and answers are designed to keep you actively involved and allow you to monitor your progress as you learn. This is an excellent way to study any chess opening and at the same time improve your general chess skills and knowledge.

'Open Games' refer to a myriad of openings arising after the ever-popular 1 e4 e5: the Italian Game, the Scotch, The Two Knights Defence, the King's Gambit, the Evans Gambit, the Bishop's Opening, the Four Knights, the Petroff and much more besides.

In this book, Grandmaster Nigel Davies invites you to join him in a study of the Pirc Defense and its many variations. He shares his experience and knowledge with the opening, provides repertoire options for Black, offers answers to all the key questions and tells you everything you need to know about playing the Pirc Defense.

The Tarrasch is an ambitious defense to the Queen's Gambit. Black's concept is a fearless one – he willingly accepts an isolated queen's pawn but in return seizes space in the centre and gains freedom of development for all his pieces. In this book, International Master and Tarrasch expert Sam Collins invites you to join him in examining this popular opening and its many variations.

In this book, International Master and chess coach Lorin D’Costa invites you to join him in studying the Queen’s Indian. He highlights the typical plans and tactics for both sides, constructs a practical repertoire for Black and provides answers to all the key questions.
*Essential guidance and training with the Queen’s Indian
*Includes repertoire options for Black
*Utilizes an ideal approach to chess study